David Beckham: Rise of the metrosexual

By Ellis Cashmore, Special to CNN

Updated 1912 GMT (0312 HKT) May 17, 2013

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Photos:David Beckham through the years

David Beckham through the years – David Beckham is a man of many talents. Not only is he one of the most famous names in sports, but he's also one heck of a model. Tommy Hilfiger has now recognized the 38-year-old former soccer player as the No. 1 underwear model of the century. It's just one of several career highs for Beckham, seen here modeling Emporio Armani underwear in a 2009-2010 ad campaign.

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Photos:David Beckham through the years

David Beckham through the years – Beckham makes his England debut at a World Cup qualifying match against Moldova in 1996.

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David Beckham through the years – Beckham celebrates his goal against Colombia in the 1998 World Cup.

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David Beckham through the years – As a player on Manchester United, Beckham cools down during the FA Charity Shield match against Arsenal in 1998.

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David Beckham through the years – At the 1998 World Cup, in a second-round match against Argentina, Beckham was sent off for kicking out at Diego Simeone. England lost the match on penalties and was eliminated, with Beckham becoming a hate figure for some fans.

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David Beckham through the years – Beckham poses after a news conference in Awaji-shima Island, Japan, in 2002.

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David Beckham through the years – Beckham poses with Beyonce, left, and Jennifer Lopez in Madrid during a presentation of the new Pepsi "Samourai" in 2004.

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A name brand – Beckham acts as England's captain during the 2004 European Championships in Portugal.

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David Beckham through the years – Beckham waves after a La Liga match between Real Madrid and Deportivo La Coruna in 2007.

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David Beckham through the years – The midfielder celebrates with his sons in 2007 after Real Madrid won the Spanish League title by beating Mallorca.

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David Beckham through the years – Beckham makes an appearance to promote his fragrance "David Beckham Intimately Night" in Sydney in 2007.

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David Beckham through the years – Beckham reveals his new No. 32 jersey after his loan move to AC Milan in 2008.

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David Beckham through the years – Beckham controls the ball during a 2010 World Cup qualifier.

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David Beckham through the years – Beckham, during his time with the Los Angeles Galaxy, walks toward the line judge to have a chat during Game 1 of the MLS Western Conference semifinals in 2009.

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David Beckham through the years – Beckham arrives at Sydney International Airport in 2010.

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David Beckham through the years – David and his wife, Victoria, arrive at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in 2011.

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David Beckham through the years – The Beckhams attend the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in West Hollywood, California, in 2012.

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David Beckham through the years – Beckham celebrated his second MLS Cup in December 2012 when he decided to leave with a year left on his contract and seek one final challenge in Europe.

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David Beckham through the years – Beckham passes under London's Tower Bridge in a speedboat carrying the Olympic Torch in 2012.

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David Beckham through the years – Beckham poses with Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, left, and PSG sports director Leonardo during a news conference announcing his new gig in January 2013.

Story highlights

David Beckham's masculinity was never in doubt, writes Ellis Cashmore

Beckham dressed stylishly -- if a little too flamboyantly for many tastes

He became a symbol of a new masculinity

Father, son, husband of a Spice Girl, fashion icon, role model, sporting ambassador. It is sometimes easy to forget that David Beckham was ever a midfielder of the highest caliber with more than 100 appearances for England.

He wore a sarong, a headscarf, nail varnish, adorned his body with tattoos and changed his expertly coiffured hair-do practically every week. He spoke sparingly and, when he did, it was with a high-pitched, slightly effeminate whine. And, as far as anyone could tell, his female partner seemed to make all the important decisions. And yet his masculinity was never in doubt.

In the 1990s, we called Beckham a New Man, or a metrosexual. He was evidently straight, but never aggressive or even assertive in a traditional masculine way. In fact, he seemed mild-mannered. He dressed stylishly -- if a little too flamboyantly for many tastes -- groomed himself painstakingly and appeared unembarrassed when asked about his formidable following of gay fans.

There was a shimmering complexity, a quiet elegance, and perhaps even a sly wit about Beckham. Footballers, as the world knew them, were hard-boiled characters, who liked a drink and a good play up, especially after a game. Their reputation was hewn from the granite of working class tradition -- men were tough and affectless. We can barely imagine the reaction in the locker room when Beckham unpacked moisturizer, bronzer, and assorted hair products from his kit bag.

In the late 1990s, when he first surfaced, only Beckham could get away with it. After all, he enjoyed the adoration of women all over the world, had a pop star girlfriend and soon-to-be wife, and had to fend off advertisers who clamored for his endorsement services. He was a man with the world at his feet. He still is.

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Today, cultural history is unimaginable without Beckham -- because he helped change that history. He slew the image of the unrelentingly macho sport hero and emerged heroically as the world's first all-purpose celebrity athlete. A symbol of a new masculinity.

And still we have to remind ourselves: Beckham was never rated as the best footballer in the world. And, far from being a hellraiser or a serial womanizer like many a notorious sports figure, he was squeaky clean.

Well, at least until 2004 when the News of the World tabloid alleged that he had an affair -- something he denied. Paradoxically, the alleged affair added rather than subtracted from his already iconic status, introducing a dash of devilry and rescuing Beckham from a kind of borderline piousness, and perhaps issuing a reminder that, despite all the affectations, his manhood was beyond doubt.

So why is Beckham the game-changing celebrity athlete?

There were two David Beckhams: one the flesh-and-blood mortal who kicked a ball around for a living, the other a character that existed independently of time and space -- a product of our imaginations.

Everyone thought they knew Beckham and enjoyed a secret relationship with him. He was like a blank canvas. Had he espoused his own views, or aligned himself with great causes he would have spoiled it. But he was silent, giving interviews rarely -- and, I suspect, at Victoria's discretion. And while he stayed largely unknown, the Beckham mystique grew.

When Beckham first entered the popular consciousness it was amid feelings of hate and revenge. Red-carded in a crucial England game against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup, Beckham was blamed for his team's exit. Effigies of him were burnt and he was forced to retreat. It's difficult to imagine the intensity of the loathing back then. Yet it was crucial in generating interest, even, passion.

The sight, even the name of Beckham stirred up powerful feelings. Football fans may have despised him, but others were just curious. And they became more curious as Beckham defiantly refused to give interviews or make public appearances, save for at the occasional fashion launch or a party hosted by a rock star or designer. All this was very un-footballer-like and faintly unmanly.

By the time Beckham and Victoria were married in 1999, interest in him had extended far beyond the football fraternity. His most devoted followers knew nothing of football. Unlike traditional sport fans, they were not interested in how he played: they were interested in him -- just Beckham.

At the start of the 21st century, there was only an embryonic celebrity culture; the fascination we now have for people who make no material impact on our lives and, in many cases, had no accomplishments of note was a new and perplexing development. Fans knew famous sportsmen and women by their talents and achievements. Beckham was different, he was known for being Beckham and, in this sense, he was among the first generation of celebrities.

Beckham's departure from football will not mean his disappearance. He will remain on our TV screens, in our magazines and on advertising hoardings the world over. But most significantly, he will remain in our imaginations.